To Even Have Dreams

Corwint Central Agent Files, #1.1

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Synopsis

Dreams. Friendship. Love. As a Mechatronic Automaton, these elusive constructs maintained a barrier between Brel and his Organic crewmates aboard the Telasari. A single moment of connection threatened to tear that barrier down and expose him to the raw biting nature of emotions he had no way to logically define. As he fights to hold onto that connection to the very end, it leaves him doubting his preconceptions about the world around him, and about himself.

*This book is intended for mature readers and contains mild violence, coarse language and romantic scenes of intimacy.

About The Series: Corwint Central Agent FilesCorwint Central Agent Files is set in a galaxy far, far away. Various planetary systems and alien species, some human-like and others very unique, offer a backdrop to the adventures, struggles for power, character development and romance. As a space opera, character development and world building are the key ingredients. As a romance, ideals of love and relationship development are what drive the stories forward.

The Corwint universe is a constantly growing, changing and evolving universe. From space stations to newly discovered planets, each story in the series adds to a universe rich with life, struggling with conflict, and evolving its own sense of existence.

Love is the key theme in the series. Each book explores different aspects of love; from 'love at first sight' to unrequited love, from 'friends to lovers' to 'opposites attract', and everything in between. It also explores both sides of love - the good and beauty that can come from it, as well as the destructive force it can unleash when love turns to obsession.

Everything, and everyone, in the Corwint Universe has a past, present and future. Nothing is stagnant or an island. Every action, or inaction, has the potential to cast stones across the universe, creating ripple effects that may not be realized until years later. Fate mingles with choice, and consequences follow every decision.

A space opera short with huge emotional punch

What I liked:
For a short story, this little space opera has the depth and emotional punch of a much longer work. You don't have to read the previous story (Ghost in the Machine) but I'd recommend you do. I adore Orynn, but I learned so much more about her from this story and the reason for some of her future reticence. Brel is the kind of hero I adore, and all the more admiral because he isn't human and therefore human emotions and values are not expected of him. Yet he has those qualities far more than the actual humans.
What I didn't like:
A smidge of head hopping - my major bug bear - but the majority is told from Brel's POV and the head hopping is minimal.
In conclusion:
This short story totally broke my heart. If you love stories about mecha/artificial humans/androids, but want emotional depth rather than it being based purely on sex, this is for you. Just don't hold your breath for even a happily for now as this is a tragedy, not a romance.